Santorini

General Information Santorini is one of the most magical islands of Greece. It is a barren, rocky island just opposite a volcano, with black and red beaches and towns situated on high cliffs offering breathtaking views and fantastic sunsets. Santorini has a dramatic beauty as opposed to lush and green islands.

The volcano is still active, and the last eruption was in 1950, causing an earthquake that destroyed many villages on the island. The island's official name is Thira and its main town, Fira, is also the capital of the Cyclades islands. It is a cosmopolitan island and is therefore quite expensive.

The locals live mainly off agriculture and tourism. The islands largest export product is soil; 2.000.000 tons a year are used all over the world, mainly to make concrete. The Suez channel was built with this concrete for example.

Most holidaymakers stay where the beaches are, Kamari and Perissa, but these places really do not represent the island's amazing distinctiveness.

If you can, you should try to stay in Fira, Imerovigli or Ia, the towns on the cliffs, which are very beautiful and full of little cafes, shops and places of interest.There is a bus that goes to the beaches everyday, and it is much better to be in the towns in the evening and on the beaches during the day. If you stay in Monolithos you will have more peace and quiet.

History Santorini used to be a round island, but during an earthquake and volcano-outbreak in the 15th century BC the middle of the island sunk and gave it the shape it has today. This is one of the reasons why many believe Santorini really is where Atlantis once was. The Minoan civilization on the
island was razed after this, but apparently, most people managed to flee.

The island has changed names through history. Originally it was called Stroggyli ("round") since that was the shape of the island. When the Phoenicians came they named it Kallisti ("the very best"), and finally it got the name Thira after its first ruler.

Theras was the son of the Theban hero Autesiona who was a descendant of Cadmus. He was the vice king of Sparta and responsible for his twin nephews Procle and Eurysthene. When they were old enough to rule by themselves, Theras left Sparta with a company of aristocrats and settled on Santorini.

The Romans originally used the island as a place for exiles, but later helped in building up the island. The Christianization of Santorini took place between the 2nd and 5th century. The island was often ravaged and even destroyed by pirates and in 1204 it was conquered by the Venetians.

It was about then the island got its current name. The islands patron saint was Ag Irini (St Eirene) and the foreign sailors called her St Irini - thus Santorini.

The island was destroyed by the Venetians in 1354, and once again in 1397, this time by the conquering Turks. In 1821 Santorini joined forces with the Greek revolutionists and the island was subsequently freed from Turkish rule.In 1956 there was a terrible earthquake which caused many buildings to be ruined. The people in Kamari are almost all from a village that was totally destroyed back then.

What to See in Satorini Akrotiri is an ancient town that was buried when the volcano erupted 3500 years ago. Archeologists are still excavating it, but you can walk around in the little street quarters and see the buildings almost like they were back then. You'll be impressed by the modernity: the houses were two or three storeys high, and they even had running water...

Ancient Thira is situated on top of high cliff just above Kamari, and there is also and old church there from 1100. This was the Roman head quarters.

At Oia you get the best sunsets, and both Oia and Fira are excellent towns for just strolling around and shopping.

In Fira there is a folklore museum, a citadel from the Middle Ages, two Mitropolis - Christian centres - a Catholic and an Orthodox. In Fira you can go to the church of Ag Mina, which is the church that most postcards of Santorini portray (see the logo above). If you come to Fira in September, there is a renowned classical music festival every year.

You should also try to visit the old capital, Pyrgos.

It is very nice to go on one of the boat excursions offered. There are sunset trips in the evenings, and daily trips to the volcano and the opposite islands Palia Kammeni, with warm natural wells, and Thirasia, where there is a tiny picturesque village.

What to Do In Kamari and Karteradio there are tennis courts. In Perissa there is mini golf and roller-skating. In Fira and Kamari there are fields for volley and basket. There are also many places to go biking. Many people enjoy the two hour walk from Imerovigli to Fira- it is a very beautiful experience, but make sure you have water with you. There are also opportunities to go horse riding. Most of the nightlife is is Kamari, Perissa and Fira.

Beaches Santorini main beaches have water sports. In general, Santorini is not the best place for children, since the beaches are stony and quite deep. There are also lots of currents and the waves can get very high. Kamari and Perissa are popular beaches with their beautiful surroundings and black sand. If you seek calmer beaches, it is better to go to Monolithos, Vlichada or Agios Georgios. For snorkelling visit Amoudi.

Nightlife Santorini has a varied nightlife, and most bars and discos are in Kamari, Perissa and Fira. Fira is probably the most popular place, and here you shouldn't miss having a drink in one of the little cafes on the steep side. The amazing view, relaxed atmosphere and music from The Big Blue, for example, will give you an unforgettable experience. Read more about Santorini nighlife

Food You can get almost everything on Santorini - from traditional Greeks food to international gourmet dinners.Try the local wine and see what you think!!!

Shopping Santorini is a bit of a cosmopolitan island, just the number of luxury yachts that stop here is very high for such a small island, so it is quite expensive. Many artists live here, and you can buy a lot of original stuff - handpainted umbrellas, ceramics, jewellery, art etc. You can also get nice icons, but be careful, anything older than 1821 needs a special permit to be exported. There is also local wine worth trying and taking with you.

Getting Around Santorini is quite a small island, and it is easy to get around. There are local buses to take you to most places, but of course you can also rent a car or a bike. There are also taxis on the island.
The harbour where the ferryboats stop is connected to Fira and the rest of the island by a steep serpentine road. Driving up or down this road is quite a terrifying experience for anyone afraid of heights. You can also walk (almost 900steps) or take a donkey ride all the way. There is also a cable car taking you straight to Fira - also not recommended for the above mentioned.

Getting There Santorini has its own airport for domestic and international flights. There are ferries to Santorini from Athens Piraeus 2-3 times a day, from Rafina four times a week, Ios-Naxos-Paros 2-3 times a day, Syros twice a week, Milos twice a week, Sikinos - Folegandros 4 times a week, Mykonos-Delos daily, Rhodes twice a week, Crete daily.

In general, Santorini is a great place to start if you want to go island hopping, since it is connected to most Cycladic islands.

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